So you just got in a wreck and your engine is beat up. You love your car with all the nostalgia and memories that come with it and you don’t want to give it up. However, your car insurance provider has deemed your car totaled and won’t let you get back on the road until you get a salvaged or rebuilt title. If you wish to keep your car, you will first need a professional like AutoAid to get the job done correctly to make sure your insurance company will accept the salvaged or rebuilt title. It’s important to know what these titles mean to you in order to make the best decisions moving forward.
There’s a clear difference between a salvage and rebuilt title. A salvage title means the vehicle was totaled. A rebuilt title means that the car has been rebuilt from a totaled state.
If a car is damaged to the point where it would cost more to fix it the car is worth, your insurer deems the car totaled. This tends to happen if the damage is somewhere between 50 and 80 percent to the car’s actual cash value.
If a car with a salvage title is repaired and given a thorough inspection, its title is upgraded to rebuilt. If you’re looking at a rebuilt titled car it’s a good idea to have a proper professional at AutoAid look it over. If the car is badly damaged, you’ll want to make sure it is in a safe and drivable state.
You should know that once a car has a salvage or rebuilt title, it cannot legally change. This ensures everyone’s safety on the road.
Getting insurance on a salvage is a hurdle unto itself. Some insurers won’t cover salvage titles. If you are able to get insurance for it, you could have an increased premium.
Make sure your insurer covers salvaged cars to begin with. If they don’t and you still want to buy the car, be sure to shop around for the best quote.
Another thing to you’ll want to see is if you can actually drive a salvaged car in your state. Check with your state insurance commissioner to be sure.
Salvage vehicles have their own insurance criteria. Getting liability and collision coverage shouldn’t be a problem. Yet it’s hard for insurers to know what a rebuilt title car is worth, so getting full coverage may be a challenge.
If you buy a car with a rebuilt title, you’ll know an inspection occurred in order to get the title. Yet keep in mind that even the best can always miss something. Much like buying a salvaged car, check with your mechanic before signing the check.
To get insurance with a rebuilt vehicle, you must apply for a title chance at your local Department of Motors. Bring all the paperwork available from the repairs, a proof of inspection from a professional, and proof that you indeed own the car. There may be additional information needed in certain states.